This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There will only be eight games played across the majors on Thursday, most of which have early start times. With Yahoo's slate kicking off at 1:00 PM EDT, let's get right to it and highlight some pitchers and hitters to consider for your lineups.
Pitchers
Shane McClanahan ($54) is likely going to be the most popular pitching option for this slate, especially for cash contests. He has been dominant, allowing two or fewer runs in 13 of his 15 starts. He also has 97 strikeouts over 89.1 innings. Awaiting him is a great matchup against the Royals, who rank inside the bottom five in both runs scored and OPS.
Braxton Garrett ($42) had one disastrous start in the beginning of May in which he gave up 11 runs over 4.1 innings against the Braves. Since then, he has allowed two or fewer runs in six of eight starts. His ERA is down to 3.88 for the season, and it's supported by an even better 3.44 FIP. Look for him to stay hot when he faces the Pirates, who've scored the seventh-fewest runs in baseball.
JP Sears ($34) has a 5.23 FIP that indicates his 4.24 ERA could be on the rise as the season moves along. His WHIP is a sparkling 1.06, but he has given up 2.0 HR/9. That might not be a problem in a matchup against the Guardians, who've hit the fewest home runs in baseball. For those who want to roll with McClanahan at his hefty salary, selecting Sears as your second pitcher will also help balance out your budget.
Top Targets
When a left-handed pitcher is on the mound, Fernando Tatis Jr. ($24) and Manny Machado ($16) are excellent options. For their careers, they have a .426 wOBA and a .361 wOBA versus lefties, respectively. They will be facing an underwhelming one in Alex Wood, who has a 1.46 WHIP this season.
Bargain Bats
The Yankees' offense is struggling with Aaron Judge (toe) out. However, a matchup with Bryan Woo might make Anthony Volpe ($12) and Billy McKinney ($10) worth pursuing. After having never pitched above Double-A, Woo has allowed 10 runs over 12.1 innings since being called up. Volpe is hitting for a terrible average, but he does have 10 home runs and 15 stolen bases. McKinney has been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees, posting a .341 ISO over 12 games.
Stacks to Consider
Rays vs. Jose Cuas ($25), Royals: Yandy Diaz ($18), Wander Franco ($18), Randy Arozarena ($19)
Cuas will serve as the opener for this bullpen game for the Royals. That could lead to a huge offensive performance from the Rays, given that the Royals have the third-worst bullpen ERA in the majors. One of the Rays' most dangerous hitters continues to be Diaz, who has a .212 ISO and a .393 wOBA that are both on pace to be the highest marks of his career.
Diamondbacks vs. Jake Irvin ($25), Nationals: Corbin Carroll ($24), Ketel Marte ($21), Jake McCarthy ($16)
Prior to this year, Irvin had never pitched above Double-A. He made just five starts at Triple-A at the beginning of this season before getting the call up to the majors. It hasn't gone well for him, given his 5.25 ERA and 5.39 FIP over eight outings. Things won't get any easier against the Diamondbacks, who have scored the fifth-most runs in baseball. A key option to build a Diamondbacks stack around is Carroll, who has a 156 wRC+.
Nationals vs. Tommy Henry ($31), Diamondbacks: Lane Thomas ($20), Jeimer Candelario ($18), Joey Meneses ($15)
The Nationals only have a .689 OPS versus right-handed pitchers, but they have a .753 OPS against lefties. Henry has had plenty of problems of his own, posting a 4.66 ERA and an even worse 5.60 FIP. Part of the problem is that he doesn't miss many bats, which has left him with a 15.1 percent strikeout rate. A player that stands out for a Nationals stack is Thomas, who has been one of their most consistent hitters with his .355 wOBA.
